Jar opener



A. L. COLE.

JAR OPENER. APPLICATION FILED was. 1920.

1,432,67, Patented Oct. 17, 1922.

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Patented Oct. 17, 1922.

i naeie new ALBERT I. COLE, OF- AUBURNDALE, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNQR T0 RUSSELL C.

' BERRY, 0F MARLBORO, MASSACHUSETTS.

JAR OPENER. Y

Application filed August 9', 1920. Serial in). 402,150.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALBERT L. Conn, a citlzen of the United States, residing at Auburndale, in the county of Middlesex and State of Massachusetts, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Jar Openers, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

My invention relates to a jar opener for removing the covers from preserving jars and similar containers In removing the cover from a preserving jar in order to remove the contents, it is customary to insert the sharp edge or point of some suitable instrument between'the cover and the gasket on the mouth of the jar and then force the cover upwardly in order to permit air to be admitted to the jar to destroy the partial vacuum therein. This operation is generally more or less difficult, es-

pecially if the jar has remained for along period of time and considerable force is required. At the same time, the circular form of the jar tends to make the operation 1n creasingly difiicult and awkward,because the gasket hardens with age and resist the penetration of theinstrument and the latter slips from the curved surface of the jar.

The main object of my invention is the provision of a simple and eflicient one-piece instrument of. low cost whereby jar covers may be removed easily and expeditiously without requiring the exercise of undue force.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a jar opener adapted for use on jars having wire clamps and being so formed that the clamps on the jar may be utilized as a fulcrum and for holding the opener against slipping or displacement during the open.- ing operation.

Other objects of the invention Wlll be more specifically set forth hereinafter.

My invention contemplates a jar opener in the form of a lever having its operatingend sharpened and adapted for insertion between the cover of the jar and the gasket; said lever being provided with means for holding one of the wire clamps of a jar in order that the clamp may be used as a fulcrum in operating the lever.

In the drawings illustrating the preferred form of my invention, Figure 1 is a view in perspective of the upper half ofa jar pro- 5 vided with wire clamps showing a jar opener made in accordance with my invention being applied thereto for removing thecover; Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the jar opener and Fig. 3 is a plan view of the same looking downwardly, in Fig. 2.

7 Referring to the drawings illustrating the preferred embodiment of my invention, 5 designates a lever in the form of a flat bar, having its operating end 6 beveled to form a sharp edge. Near the end 6 is formed an off-set open loop 7 which is designed to receive one of the wire clamps on the jar to. hold it while it is being used as a fulcrum in the operation of the opener. The handle end 8 of the lever 5 may be provided with a hole 9 whereby the opener may be hung on a hook or nail whennot in use.

In Figure 1 illustrating the method of using my opener, 12 designates the jar, having a cover 13 and gasket' 14 arranged between the cover and the flange 15 of the mouth of the jar. This type of jar is provided with wire clamps comprising a cover clamp 16 which is adapted to go over the top of the cover 13 and rest between two lugs 18 after the jar has been filled and the cover placed in position. A second clamp 20, which may be termed the locking clamp, has its ends mounted in small plates 22 carried on a wire 23 fastenedaround the neck of the jar. Near each end the locking clamp has a loop 25 formed by turning the wire audeach loop is adapted to receive and hold one end of the cover clamp 16 so that the cover clamp is carried by the locking clamp. After the cover clamp 16 has been placed over the top of the jar on the cover the locking clamp 20 then pressed downwardly against the body of the jar thereby drawing the cover clamp down 9 tightly on the cover and lockin it in place. All of the foregoing is of old and well known construction and constitutes no part of my invention.

In the use of my opener the locking clamp is pushed upwardly thereby releasing the cover clamp which is then turned do \vnwardly over the cover toward the side of the j :11.- The opener is then arranged with the loop 7 pointing downwardly, with the cover 1 clamp 16 lying within the loop 7 and the end 6 of the opener is placed above the loclc ing clamp 20. At the same time that the opener is arranged in this position the sharp ened edge of the end 6 is brought to hear be tween the cover 13 and the gasket 14. A slight upward pressure on the handle end of theopener has the effect, owing to the construction of the clamp, of throwingthe sharpened edge forward in between the cover and the gasket, thereby raising the cover sufficiently to admit air into the jar. In this operation it will be noticed that as the handle end of the lever is moved up- "wardly it tends to raise the cover clamp,

thereby forcing the sharpened edge 6 ol? the opener in between the cover and the gasket. 1 have found from experience that this "form of opener requires very little torce because oi the leverage and that it will open the most obstinate with ease and facility.

While my opener is designed primarily for use in connection with jars having .QlillllPS, as shown in Fig.1 of the draw ngs,

yet it maybe used to open ordinary jars, and when so used, the loop 7 constitutes an abutment against which the thumb may be placed in pressing the operating end of the opener in between the cover and the gasket and thereby'iny opener is susceptible oi a more etlicient use in such cases.

It is to be understood that my invention is not to be limited to the precise l'orin of lever shown and llustrated in the drawings because it is susceptible of en ibodiinent in various other forms since the essential cover clamp oi'said jar so thatthe same may be used as a fulcrum during the opening operation. 1 i

2. A jar opener comprising a flat lever having one end sharpened for insertion under the cover of the jar and provided with means (for holding one of the wire clamps of said and using it as a fulcrum during the opening operation; "aid holding means being so formed that the said clamp is held securely against movement longitudinally the said lever while it is being operated.

3. gar opener comprising a lever having a sharpened edge adapted to be inserted between the cover and gasket of a jar for opening the same, and being provided with means for receiving and holding one oi the wire clamps of said jar in order that the same may serve as a fulcrum during the opening operation.

l. A jar opener comprising a lever having asharpened edge adapted to be inserted between the coverand gasket of jar for opening the same, and being'provided with a reeessto'r receivii'ig and' holding one of the wire clamps of said 'iar in order that the same may serve as a Ilulcrum during the openfngoperation. I

A ar opener comprising a lever having a sharpe ededge adapted to be inserted un:

der the co-veuto be removed and bei pro-- vided with an open loop ad acent the sharpened end; said loop 'beingadapted to receive and hold the cover clamp of the jar which serves asa fulcrum when tliesaid'lever is held in engagen ient with the lockingclamp of said lar. r i i (3. A. jar opener adapted [to be stamped from i lat metal, and being-in the form of a llat lever having its edge atone end sharpened, and the otherend being suitable 't'oruse as a handle, said lever being provided with an oli'set open loop adiacent the sharpened edge said loop being substantially perpendicular to the flat sides of said lever .ln witness'whereoi', I hereunto set my hand this fifth day of August.

' 'L. COLE. 

